KAS Concepts

KAS Concepts supports leaders to strategically align learning to drive organizational growth.

Whether building a learning strategy, lining out training processes or standing up training teams, KAS can guide you through the process. 

KAS also exists to support the trainer's themselves to design, develop and deliver training that doesn't suck through it's line of No Boring Training products & services.

Founder

igus Inc.

Created and built out first ever learning & development department and processes for North American operations supporting 500+ colleagues across all disciplines in the organization 

Key Accomplishments
* Aligned learning to business strategy to implement customized learning approaches tied to business outcomes
* Led team organizing end user training of new enterprise software roll out to 300 plus users to increase adoption rates and reduce learning curve of new system 
* Created and implemented job skills training program for sales teams that lead to reduce ramp time for new sales team members 
* Created and delivered leadership development training series with customized in-person workshops, micro-video channel and self-study content to increase retention across the org   
* Created and delivered professional development training series to support continued growth of team members in areas such as interviewing skills and bias 
* Pioneered introduction of micro-learning video content of high cadence targeted trainings that have been adopted by the worldwide organization to fuel self and classroom study options 
* Led introduction of customer service new hire training program to standardize processes & training across teams, reduce order entry errors and increase customer satisfaction 
* Led creation and launch of new onboarding program for office and production team members  

Responsibilities Leading L&D Team 
•	Design, development and deliver of new hire job skills training programs across all divisions 
•	Design & implement comprehensive ongoing training programs to support talent retention 
•	Design, implement, deliver topic specific training workshops to address emergent needs
•	Create, manage and deploy self-study options via e-learning and micro-video platforms 
•	Coordinate with overseas headquarters to synchronize training, share ideas and expand training capabilities

Learning and Development Manager

Rebuilt training program to produce comprehensive onboarding and ongoing training programs for outside & inside sales roles. 

Key Accomplishments: 
•	Designed division wide new hire job skills training program that reduced ramp time from 36 months to 12  
•	Implemented structured instructional design process to create learning material tied to business outcomes
•       Trained SME instructors on Adult Learning Styles which lead to increased training material retention rates based on in-program testing scores and manager post-training review 
•	Designed & delivered various targeted sales process training workshops which directly addressed skills gaps and produced sales growth increases 
•	Created video sales training programs that have been adopted by global organization 


DryTech Division Trainer: 
•	Instructional design of sales team training programs: new hire process, follow on training & targeted workshops
•	Delivering instructor lead training content & coordinating other instructors as required by curriculum during trainings
•	Coordination & organization of ILT training groups  
•	Designing, monitoring and tracking training effectiveness evaluations during & after training cycles
•	Coordinating with and advising executive and field management leaders to identify training gaps and implement strategic vision via training
•	Coordinating with product support staff to develop sale training materials for new product releases
•	Developing & delivering sales training audio programs  
•	Creating & delivering sales training video programs

DryTech Division Trainer 

10 years successfully producing sales growth and building sales teams.  

From Jan17 to Dec20 I held the dual role of Regional Sales Manager and Drytech Divisional Trainer. 


South Region (2011-2016)
* Sales in the region have grown from $3m to $9.6m over 5 years. 
* Onboarded 6 new sales people growing team from 3 to 9  
* 12 states 

South Central (2017-2020) 
*  Built new sales team in under-served and under-performing territories to produce growth of $1,151,787 
* Onboarded 5 new team members 
* 6 states 

Gulf States (2020) 
* Realign sales team with corporate divisional structure changes including evaluation & creation of new sales territories to drive sales growth 
* Guide sales team through organizational change process
* 5 states 
* Guide sales team through challenges of pandemic

Regional Sales Manager

Local sales representative tasked with growing sales of DryTech products (including plastic bushings, linear slides and spherical bearing products) in the Southern Ohio, Southern Indiana and Kentucky area. 

Daily responsibilities included regular sales visits with customers, exploring opportunities for sales growth and identifying key strategic accounts, regular sales presentations to new potential customers, prospecting, and making proposals. As needed would present technical training presentations to customers to strengthen their product knowledge and uncover new sales opportunities. 

I was also tasked to support the Regional Sales Manager, as needed, for special projects. 

Sales for this previously underdeveloped area were increased from less than $200,000 to $800,000 annually. 

Special projects included overhauling existing sales presentation package (PowerPoint). Awarded Employee of the year 2006 and Outstanding Achievement 2007.

Territory Sales Manager

Witt Galvanizing

Sales representative for 3 hot dip galvanizing plants, covering a 6 state area. 

Responsibilities included relationship building with steel fabricators and steel specifying groups to drive sales. For larger projects, quoting prices based off estimated processing rates was required. 

Large profile projects included Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio and the CTA-Blue Line overhaul project in Chicago.

Sr. Technical Sales Representative

Asked to give a training but don't know where to start? ⚙️ Want your training to work? ⚙️ New to training or want to break in? ⚙️ Leaders, do you want happier, more innovative, more aligned people in your orgs? ?

Leaders lay awake at night worrying about revenue, profit, productivity, net promoter score, developing leaders and talent retention. 

How they can carve out a competitive advantage and drive top line performance. 

Aligning learning strategies with big picture vision builds the foundations so the organization can thrive. 

But especially in small to medium sized firms, late stage startups or larger autonomous teams training is a hassle due to workload. So it gets pushed off. 

Sometimes leaders just don't know where to start. 

Or worse yet, the training you do offer is dull, boring and people just don't want it.  

Powerful in-house training, supporting the overarching company goals, is not out of your reach. 

I support leaders to

✅ Align learning strategies with overall vision
✅ Build their own internal training capabilities 

I also support trainers themselves, especially those newer to corporate training or experienced trainers that need a second opinion or outside perspective. 

Built on experience and how people actually learn. I combine training experience with 25 years of sales, sales management and HR success to see the whole picture. 

You want more results and less yawns? 

Let's chat.

Adam Spacht

Melissa Houston Coaching & Consulting 

Are you looking for support in your life or career? 

Maybe you feel stuck or need help finding motivation and inspiration?

As a life and career coach, I'm here to guide you toward a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

With my help, you can gain clarity about your goals & will develop a plan to achieve them.

Do you feel you need to be fulfilled in your current career? Let's work together to find the right path for you!

I'm here to help you find your way.

Do you want to improve your relationships or gain more confidence?
Let's work on that too! 

We'll develop strategies to help you communicate better and build stronger connections with those around you.

And if you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed, let's work on developing a better work-life balance.

We'll find ways for you to prioritize self-care and avoid burnout.

You can find the happiness and success you deserve.

So, what would you like to work on today?

Coaching executives to new roles, mindsets, dreams, success, and happiness.

Driving business growth through leadership training, time management, process improvement, documentation, and action plans.

Professional speaking events, leadership development, sales training, and motivational presentations.

Coffee ☕️ Chats with Melissa Houston started as a place to catch up after a break from my day-to-day practices on LinkedIn. 

How often do you review your situation, obligations, goals, dreams, brand, mindset, boundaries, and support system?

That is what we do here. We take stock. We dream big. 

We push ourselves to levels never expected by those around us. We will face these challenges together, focusing on this community, LinkedIn, our network, and our tribe.

We will learn about business, marketing, sales, brand building, social media growth, personal issues, mental health, physical limitations, and exceeding expectations. 

This is where I will engage with intelligent and highly skilled individuals while teaching you as I learn. I will teach those guests what I know well, pushing each other to higher levels with fun and engaging conversations… chats that matter the most.

It's a consistent practice held weekly every Saturday from 6-8 am Pacific. 

My cohost rotates, as do the topics. 

Hope to see you there.

Podcast Host

The Emotional Women

"Taking the "EW" out of Emotional Women"

Welcome to The Emotional Women, where we turn emotions into your business’s secret weapon—no “EW” about it! We’re here to help companies recognize and harness the incredible power of emotional intelligence for real, measurable success. From decision-making to productivity, we guide you in understanding how emotions fuel results and bring out the best in your team.

Our approach is packed with dynamic leadership development, breakthrough strategies for overcoming obstacles, and building communication skills that improve relationships across the board. Whether it’s helping your team connect better, collaborate effortlessly, or tackle challenges head-on, we make sure emotional intelligence becomes a cornerstone of your culture.

If you're ready to ditch the “ew” and turn emotions into your superpower, partner with The Emotional Women! Together, we'll inspire, empower, and create a work culture that thrives.

 #TheEmotionalWomen

Co-Founder

Comoto Family of Brands

• Exceeding KPIs by implementing accountability and training strategies. 

• Grew store memberships sales by 2500% in one year, ranking in the top ten nationwide.

• Store operations and  retail management.

• Community events.

Store Manager

Expert Background Solutions

As the Managing Director at Expert Background Solutions, I successfully led a team in evaluating court data, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing client relationships.

• Oversaw team management of court data experts to deliver high-quality reports.
• Managed client engagement, vendor relations, B2B sales and consulting efforts.
• Ensured legal compliance and provided training to enhance team skills.

Managing Director

National Background Reporting

Liaison with executive clients to optimize operational practices and streamline efficiency rates by 95%.

Spearheaded compliance and customer success through process clarity and sales team development.

Nurtured 100+ key relationships with clients and vendors by focusing on proactive strategic solutions.
Facilitated the day-to-day operations and processes for the business, reporting directly to ownership

Review and assess background screening results obtained from third-party suppliers. Cultivate and sustain essential relationships with clients and vendors to ensure the prompt processing of results and overall client satisfaction. Conduct verification of criminal, employment, and education records. Tailor results to align with specific client criteria while adhering to local, state, and federal reporting guidelines.

Lead the development, training, and change management efforst of new background screening clientele, educating them on the day-to-day processes of screening protocols. 

Engage in business-to-business consulting, sales, training, webinars, and implementation activities. Take charge of maintaining regular communication with accounts, concentrating on delivering proactive and strategic solutions tailored to individual needs.

Additional responsibilities encompass social media management, conducting client and internal compliance audits, handling billing and collections, generating reports, overseeing marketing efforts, and more.

Director of Marketing and Compliance 

Private

Contributed to startup from concept to fruition. Engaged in sales, contract negotiations, and participated at B2B events, tradeshows, and conventions. Created and managed compliance with EEOC and FCRA guidelines internal processes and for clientele. Provided client demos, training, onboarding and implementation of screening software. Obtained the Advanced Fair Credit Reporting Act Accreditation

Senior Compliance and Sales Consultant

Private 

• Utilized email, telemarketing, and sales visits to acquire clients, negotiate contracts, and client engagement activities.
• Managed client billing rates, salary negotiations, job descriptions, and onboarding processes.
• Conducted recruiting, interviewing, screening, and skills testing for new hires.

Employment Consultant

We will create customized clarity & action plans.

With a decade of coaching and consulting experience, I have helped clients achieve their personal and professional goals, and helped them to overcome challenges life brings their way. 

Helping organizations overcome major obstacles. We've worked to grow their client base, optimize operational practices, lead and develop training programs, create sales and onboarding processes, and compliance procedures. 

Together we will use data, perspective shifts, strategies, time management practices, and boundary setting as tools for growth. 

Whether you are looking for support in your life and/or career; or maybe you're an employer who wants to improve your team's performance, your customer experiences, or to iptimize your processes... I am here to guide you towards your goals and help you achieve your dreams. 

With that in mind, I host free weekly chat on LinkedIn, where I share insights and advice on various topics. 

My weekly Saturday show, Coffee ☕️ Chats with Melissa Houston, is fluid and covers topics of all kinds. 

The room I cohost bi-weekly is "Careers, Chaos, and Coaching" with Felipe Cofiño is live every other Sunday.

If you want a free personalized assessment session, please DM me now.

Additionally, while acting in my W2 role, I lead a high-performing team and continously work to optimize operations for customer satisfaction, increased productivity, and profitability for one of the largest motosport providers in the nation.

Let's connect and begin to create something extraordinary, together, with gusto!

"Victory and victim both start out the same; it's up to you how it ends." -Melissa Houston 🌻


•My opinions are my own•

taplio

The Battle

Adam Spacht

Melissa Ann Houston

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